Septic tank and like construction



Oct. 13, 1925.

F. R. HAHN SEPTIC mu: AND LIKE cons'raucmon Filed Sept. 12, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 wil 2/Nv1:2;olz I BY /A'ITORNEY 2'4 Oct. 13, 1925. 1,557,523

. F. R. HAHN SEPTIC TANK AND LIKE- CONSTRUCTION med s pt- 12,1924 4' Sheets-Sheet '2 Patented Get. 13, 1925;

, UNITEFDF' sra'rlazs- PATENT- OFFICE.

:rmmx n. IIAHN, or vacuum, ILLINOIS,'ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'ro w. r. Lennon, or noonmn, ILLINOIS.

SEPTIC TANKAND LIKE CON-S'I'RUGTIO'N.

Application filed September 12, 1924. Serial No. 787,262.

To all whom it may c'oncem:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. HAHN, a citizen of the United States, a resident of. Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new1and useful Improvements in Septic Tanks and like Construction, of which the following is a specification.

Th s invention relates to improvements in septic tanks and like constructions and has for its object the rovision of suchconstruction composed o a plurality of units or elements a number of which are interchangeable and all of which are of standard construction, and which may bemolded or cast separately and then. assembled together at the place where it is desired to install the tank. If conditions permit the erection and installation of the tank in the cavity which the tank ,is to be located this may be done' or if it is 'necessar to assemble the tank and then move an 7 lower the same into position this may be done.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a construction which includesv means 'for assembling and securely locking and holding the various units and elements in position and in such a way as of this character.

to prevent leakage.

Another object of this invention isvthe provision of such a construction which may be used in the form of a single tank or compartment or which may be arranged in the form of a plurality of tanks or compartments and these latter may be arranged side by side or end to end.

Further objects of this invention include improvements in details of constructionand arrangement whereby a simple strong and efficient, structure of the type described is provided which may be readily erected and installed at a minimum expense and su ervision and which complies with the various laws and regulations in respect to structures To theaccomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and which show merely for the purpose of illustrative disity of the end elements or units assembled to ether.

igure 4 is a side elevation partially in section of one of the units or elements showing the interior structure. i Figure 5 is a side elevation of one form of bafiie board.

. Figure 6 is a horizontal cross section through a corner of the structure to show the details 'of that construction.

Figure 7 is a front elevational'view of the corner unit or elements.

Figure 8 is an end elevation ofthe same. Figure 9 is a detailed view of the bonding member used in the corner construction. Figure 10 is a view and side elevation of a modified form of end unit or element. Figure 11 is a side elevation of a modified form of side or longitudinal unit or element, this form being made in two parts.

F1gure 12 is a detailed cross sectional View showing one form of foundation.

Flgure 13 is a diagrammatic view showing one method of arranging a construction- Figure 3 is a perspective view of a plural- I -Figure 15 is a side elevation of a lurality of end units or elements assemb ed together to form the construction shown in igures'16 and 17 are perspective views .of the slightly modified form of corner conindicates a standard and simple form of septic tank embodying this invention shown assembled and installed in position. As shown, it is of substantially rectangular shape and its longer dimension is in the direction of travel of the material through the tank. The tank itself is formed of a plurality of side 'or longitudinal units or elements 2 and a plurality of end elements or units 3. These elements or units 2 and 3 are shown in' detail in Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing. Each one is in the form of a elongated slab having a rib or bead 4 along one edge thereof and a groove or recess 5 along the other edge thereof adapted to fit the rib or bead 4 in the next adjacent unit. By this construction the partsinterfit and are interlocked. The ends of each of the side or longitudinal units or elements 2 is formed with a cut-away portion 6 leaving a shouldered extension 7, whereas each end of the end units or elements 3 is formed with a cut-away portion -8, leaving a shouldered extension 9, these last mentioned parts being oppositely arranged to the cut-away portion 6 and shouldered extension 7 of the side or longitudinal members whereby the shouldered extensions 7 fit within the cutaway portions 8 of the end units or elements 3 and. the shouldered extensions 9 thereof fit within the cut-away portions 6 of the longitudinal units or elements in the form of a mo'rtise and tenon construction. This will be readily apparent from a consideration of Figures 2 and 3 particularly. In each of the shouldered extensions 7 of said longitudinal members 2 is provided a socket member 10 which is in the form of a metallic sleeve of two or more internal diameters, as indicated particularly in Figure 4 of the drawing and forms a vertical passage therethrough having the reduced part 11 and the enlarged part 12 with a shoulder '13 at their junction. Each of the end units or elements 3 has a similar socket member 14 provided in the shouldered extension 9 thereof, this socket member being in the form of a metallic sleeve having parts of passage extending entirely through the corner of the structure as a whole which is adapted toreceive a suitable securing means to be presently described.

Referring again to Figure 4 of the draw ing, each of the units or elements 2 and 3 is provided with suitable reinforcing means as illustrated including one longitudinall extending member 17 and another longitudiifally extending member 18. The latter has each end formed with an eye or. opening 19 to receive and to embrace the sleeve 10 whereby the latter is securely held in position within the unit or element.

When installing a construction of this kind, suitable stringers or beams 20 are provided, see Figure 12. These stringers or beams 20 are elongated in form having a sloping upper surface 21 and a straight or level lower surface 22. The upper surface 21 is bounded at one end by the shoulder or abutment 23 and at the other end by the shoulder or abutment 24. Each stringer or beam member 20 is also provided with an aperture 25 therethrough near each end which leads to a socket or recess 26 having a suitable nut or otherthreaded member 27 therein. A plurality of these stringers or beams 20 are provided, as necessary and they are suitably spaced apart. If necessary are supported on the foundation members or piles 28, see Figure 12, which may be of any size, shape or construction, according to the conditions encountered. These last mentioned members 28 may be provided with a recess or socket 29 having a suitable nut or bther securing means 30 located in the bottom thereof. m

The floor of the construction is formed of a plurality of slabs or units 31 which are provided with a tongue and groove construction 32 so as to inter-fit and inter-lock. They are placed upon the sloping surfaces 21 of the stringers or beams 20 whereby a sloping floor is provided. The end members of the series of floor boards engage the' shoulders 23 and 24 of the beams or stringers 20 and are thereby held against sliding .movement on the foundation of the structure. The units or the walls of the structure are formed by mounting a plurality of said units or elements 2 and 3 on to of said floor members, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The lowermost of the longitudinal members is formed with a sloping lower edge 2' so as to fit the sloping surface of the floor, the remainder of the longitudinal 1 members behig straight and level in construction. The securing means for each corner is in the form ofan elongated rod or? shaft 33. which passes through the aligned a foundation.

' To assistdn maintaining stability and security, I provide a novel form of corner construction which includes the corner element or unit 34, see Figures 6, 7 and 8. This is in the form of a elongated slab having beveled side edges 35 which fit against the inner surfaces of the end and side walls of the construction at the corner thereof. This corner unit or element 34 is also provided with a longitudinally extending reinforcement 36 and a pluralityof openings 37 therethrough to expose the'reinforcement 36 at ;intervals. These openings are ,preferably arranged so as tobe near the joints between the units or elements 2 and 3 of whichthe construction is formed. A bonding member 38, see Figure 9, is adapted to be looped around the exposed portion of the reinforcement and has its ends 39 flattened and apertured as at 40, so as to fit within the joint of the adjacent units orelements, the apertures 40-being for the purpose of permitting the passage of the securing rod or shaft 33 therethrough as well as the extended portions of the sleeve 10 or 14. After these corner units or elements are assembled in position the space between the corner.ele ment and the side and end walls may be filled with suitable cement or plastic material whereby a secure and permanent construction is formed.

The top of the construction is formed of a plurality of units or elements 41 which preferably have the tongue and groove construction 42 and the end members of which are provided with a tongue or groove 43 to fitthe complementary part on the upper-most side and end members forming the sideand end walls of the construction. Certain of these top members are provided with'open ings 44 communicating With upwardly extending tile" connections 45 which lead to the top of the ground for purposes of observation and for entrance into the construction after installation. The intermediate top members are of special construction and two of them, designated 41 have a single beveled edge 41 while a third one designated 41 is formed with the beveled edges 41 to fit the correspondingly beveled edges41 of adjacent members 41 This results in a tight fit as well as in a wedging action to I hold the various parts together.

are provided with suitable openings or apertures 46 to. receive the inlet and outlet pipes 47. The upper members 2 ofthe side walls are provided with openings or recesses 48 near each end thereof to receive a baflie board 49, see Figures 1 and 5. This bafllc 1 board is in the form of an elongated unit havin a shouldered extension 50 at each end a apted to fit within onefof said recesses or sockets 48 and having a longitudinal reinforcement 51 extending therethrough. The

ends 52 thereof are turned downwardly and extend without the shoulder, as at 53, to term a securing means which is adapted to fit within a suitable socket or recess formed in the upper-most side unit or element 2 and in the aperture or recess 48 therein.

In orderto comply with certain requirements or regulations, it is necessary on 0ccasion to provide a catch basin and I illustrate such a construction in Figure 1, where 'the catch basin is designated generally by the reference numeral 54. It is in the form of a cylinder 55 having one end closed and having its open end formed with an annular shoulder 56 adapted to fit in a correspondingly shouldered recess 57 formed in the bottom or floor members 31. Within this member 55 I provide a removable cylindrical rethereof, they may be formed in two or more parts and the end members correspondingly changed. I illustrate these modifications in Figures 10 and 11, the numeral 59 designating the end member having the inlet or outlet opening 60 formed therein and provided with an intermediate shouldered extension 61 at each end which is provided with a sleeve 62 therein, said sleeve having portions of difl'erent diameters the smaller portion 63 extending beyond the lower edge of theshouldered extension 61. In Figure 11, the numerals 64 and 64' designate the complementary parts of one of the side or longitudinal members corresponding to the members 2 of the simpler form, these members 64 and 64' are formed so asto complement each other and to that end have the complementary sockets or recesses 65 for receivmg and supporting the baffle board 49. Each of the members 64 and 64' is also provided with a shouldered extension 66 having the sleeve 67 therein formed of a plurality of diameters with the smaller portion of the sleeve 68 extending below the lower edge of the shoulder so as to fit within the larger diameter of the adjacent sleeve 62 or 67, as the case may be. v

It may be necessary or desirable in providing installations or constructions for larger uses to make provision for a plural- 14 the tanks or compartments are arranged side by side and the, material being treated only passes through one tank. It is understood that: in this latter form connections may be made to either tank or compartment as desired. These installations are constructed in substantially the same way as the construction previously described and the same reference characters are applied once character 81, and it is thereto to indicate the corresponding parts and a detailed description of them and of their construction is not believed to be necessary. In Figure 13,69 designates the inlet into end compartment 7 O which has the pipe 71 communicating to the intermediate tank or compartment 72, which also has pipe 73 communicating to the end tank or compartment 7 4 which has the dischar e or outlet connection 7 5. In. this end t or compartment is provided a settling basin construction 76 and bafile boards 7 7 may be utilized where desirable or necessary. In Figure 14, 7 8 designates the inlets and 79 the outlets and 80 the batfie boards which are arranged out of line on account of the positions of the supporting slots or sockets therefor.

In building these multiple construct-ions, a slight change in the formation of the side and end units or elements is necessary and this construction is shown in detail in Figure 15 of the drawing. This uni-t or element is designated generally by the referrovided with the cut-away portion 82 leavin the shouldered extension 83. In certain of these units this shouldered extension is referred to as 83' as it is longer than the usual shouldered extension 83, so that when the units are assembled, a space 84 is left at intervals to receive the shouldered extension of the partition forming unit or element which is of substantially the same construction, as the uni-ts or elements 81. The enlarged shouldered extensions 83' are provided with the aperture or bore 85 to register with the aperture or bore 86 through the other shouldered extension 83, and said shouldered extension 83' is also provided with a socket or recess 87 to receive a depending member or part. of the reinforcement, as shown in the baffle board construction of Figure 5, whereby such units or elements which form the partitions are securely held in proper position. V

I show in Figures 16, 17 and 18 a modified form of corner construction. 7 The units2' and 3' are formed with the enlarged shouldered end "portions 90 and 91 having the same interlocking sleeve constructions 11 and 12 previously described. p

This tank construction is-also iadapted for use as a stock tank or the like and in that event I utilize a drip cap or top rim construction shown in detail in Figures 19 and 20. This construction includes a pluralit of elongated units 92 which have the roun ed top surface 93 and the grooved under surface 94 to fit overand engage the top edge of the units 2 and 3 of the tank. The under surfaces of these units are formed on a bevel as at 95. The ends of each unit are cut) out as at 96 to expose the loops 97 to the reinforcing means 98, whereby the adjaing conditions render that impossible, may

be constructed and assembled above the water line and lowered in assembled condition on to the proper foundation.

The manufacture and making of the various parts of this structure is a comparatively simple and inexpensive matter and the structures are of standard design and may be readily and quickly assembled and installed in proper position at a very reasonable expense both in time and in money. The parts are all securely connected and locked togetherwhereby a rigid, stable and permanent structure of this character is provided.

I claim:

1. A construction of the character described including in combination a foundation having a plurality of stringers or beams, having sloping upper surfaces, 9. floor mounted on said sloping upper surfaces, side and end walls each composed of a plurality of units or elements arranged on said floor and a top or cover member composed of a pluralit of units or elements positioned on said si e and end walls, said end walls having inner and outer connections.

2. A construction of the character de scribed including in combination a foundation having a plurality of stringers or beams, having sloping upper surfaces, a

floor mounted on said sloping upper sur-- faces, side and end walls each c omposed of a plurality of units or elements arranged on tween and connected to said side walls.

3. A construction of the character described including in combination a foundation having a plurality of strin ers or beams, having sloping upper sur aces, a

floor mounted on said sloping upper surfaces, side and end walls each composed of a plurality of units or elements arranged on said floor, a top or-cover member composed of a plurality of units or elements positioned on said side and end walls, said end walls having inner and outer connections,

one of the units or elements of the top or cover member being formed with beveled side edges so as to have a wedging or' forcing action when placed in position.

4. A construction of the character described including in combination a foundation having a plurality of stringers or beams, having sloping upper surfaces, a floor mounted on said sloping upper surfaces, side and end walls each composed of a plurality of units or elements arranged on saidfloor and a topor cover member composed of a plurality of units or elements positioned on saidside and end walls, said end walls having inner'and outer connections, said side and end units or elements each having a shouldered extension having an opening therethrough adapted to register with a complementary shouldered extension of the ad oining member and securing means passing through said aligned openings.

5. A construction of the characterdescribed including in combination a foundation havin a plurality of stringers or beams, havlng sloping upper surfaces, a-

floor mounted on said sloping upper surfaces, side and end walls each composed of a plurality of units or elements arranged on said floor and atop or cover member composed of a plurality ofunits or elements positioned on said side and end walls, said end walls having inner and outer connections plurality of openings in said top or cover member" adapted to have communication with the atmosphere. a 7 A construction of the character described including in combination a foundation member, a floor member, side and end walls each composed of units or elements and a top or cover member, said units or elements being of tongue and groove construc- 1 tion whereby they interfit with each other each un1t-or element having a shouldered extension provided with an opening therethroughand adapted to interfit with a cornplementary shouldered extension on the adjoining interior element so as to align openings and securing means passing through said aligned openings.

8. A construction of the character described including in combination a foundation member, a floor member, side and end walls each composed of units or elements and a top or cover member,-said units-or elements being of tongue and groove construction whereby they interfit with each other, each unit or element having a shouldered extension provided with an opening therethrough and adapted to interfit with a complementary shouldered extension on the adjoining interior element so as to align openings and securing means passing through said aligned openings, sleeve members installed in said openings, said sleeve members being of different internal diameters and having a smaller portion extending beyond the edge of the interior element so as to fit within the enlarged portion of theadjacent sleeve.

9. A construction of the character described includingin combination a foundation member, a floor member, side and end walls each composed of units or elements and a top or cover member, said units or elements being of tongue and groove construction whereby they interfit with each other, each unit or element having a shouldered extension provided with an opening therethroughand adapted to interfit with accomplementary shouldered extension on the ad joining interior element so as to align openings and securing means passing through said aligned openings,-inner and outer openings provided near the top of the end walls, a plurality of openings provided near the top of the side walls and bafiie boards having reduced shouldered extensions adapted to fit within said openings in said side walls and extend across the structure.

elements being of tongue and groove constructionwhereby they interfit with each other, eachunit or element having a shouldered extenslon provided with an opening therethrough and adapted totinterfit with a complementary shouldered extension on the ad oining interior element so as to align openings and securing means passing through aligned openings, corner units or elements provided in each corner of the structure having a plurality of.

engaging means exposed along its length and bonding members, adapted to connect said engaging means with said securing means.

11. A construction of the character described including in combination a foundation member, a floor member, side and end walls each composed of units or elements and a top or cover member, said unitsor elements being of tongue and groove con-- struction whereby they interfit with each other, each unit or element having a shouldered extension provided with an opening therethrough and adapted to interfit with a complementary shouldered extension on the adjoining interior element so as to align openings and securing means passing through said aligned openings, corner units or elements provided in each corner of the structure having a plurality of engaging means exposed along its length and bonding members adapted to connect said engaging means with said securing means, said bonding members having fiattened apertured ends -tofit within the joints between the end and side units or elements and to receive said securing means.

12. In a construction of the character described, a unit or element formed of plastic material cast in elongated rectangular shape and haying a reduced shouldered extension at each endwprovided with an opening therethrough, a sleeve fitting each opening, longitudinally extending reinforcing member provided in said-unit or element and hav-I Ing an eye at each end to embra'ce saidsleeve.

13. In a construction of'the character described, a unit or element formedofplastic material cast in elongated rectan ular shape and havin a reduced shouldere extension at each en provided with an opening therethrough, a sleevefitting each opening, longi- 1 tudinally extending reinforcing member provided in said unit or element and hav-,

scribed, a battle board unit or element' formed of plastic material and cast in general elongated rectangular form, having reduced shouldered extensions at each end and having positioning and holding means projecting downwardly from said reduced shouldered extensions, said last mentioned means being provided by a longitudinal reinforcing member which extends entirely through said battle board unit or element. having portions located -within said shouldered extension with the free ends projecting beyond the same.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I

have hereuntoset my hand this 28th day of April, 1924.

FRANK R. HAHN. 

